Film dryer with clamp for multiple frame holder



April 1968 s. M. HUTCHINSON ETAL 3,376,655

FILM DRYER WITH CLAMP FOR MULTIPLE FRAME HOLDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 21, 1966 INVENTORS arrw/vso/v flfPAd/IE ATTOF/VEY 'P 1968 s. M. HUTCHINSON ETAL 3,376,655

FILM DRYER WITH CLAMP FOR MULTIPLE FRAME HOLDER 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 21, 1966 A ril 9, 1968 s. M. HUTCHINSON ETAL FILM DRYER WITH CLAMP FOR MULTIPLE FRAME HOLDER 5 Sheets-Sheet I5 Filed June 21, 1966 United States Patent 3,376,655 FILM DRYER WITH CLAMP FOR MULTIPLE FRAME HOLDER Seymour M. Hutchinson, 54--19 Myrtle Ave'., Ridgewood, N.Y. 11227, and Franz Krause, 1110 Connetquot Ave., Central Islip, N.Y. 11722 Filed June 21, 1966, Ser. No. 559,280 9 Claims. (Cl. 34-58) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Centrifugal drying apparatus for photographic film, including a releasably secured film holder that is counterbalanced when rotating on the shaft of the apparatus.

This invention relates to apparatus and accessories for centrifugal drying of various types of photographic film.

The apparatus of the present invention is particularly suitable for use in the dental profession, for example, where diagnosis by X-ray often requires hours for the drying of the film after developing and washing by normal evaporation or heating methods. The purpose of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that will dry the X-ray photographic film rapidly and efficiently by centrifugal means so that the dentist may have the dry film for viewing within a comparatively short time after the X-ray photographs have been taken.

The apparatus of the present invention comprises novel means for accommodating a conventional X-ray film holder upon which are mounted a plurality of single tooth exposures and clamping it upon a rotatable shaft for centrifugally drying of the film. The clamping means are constructed in a manner to counterbalance the film holder on the shaft so as of the assembly. Further means are provided for adjusting the counterbalan-cing means on the clamp When film holders of different weights are used or where varying amounts of film may be mounted on the film holder, in order to bring about a balanced assembly on the rotating shaft.

In another embodiment of the invention, means are provided for rapidly drying sheet photographic film that contains a panoramic exposure of the whole month of the patient. A frame is provided for said sheet photo graphic film which is replacea bly mounted in the apparatus and which also has novel means for stretching the film within the frame. Also, the means for clamping said sheet film are movably mounted on the 'frame in order to accommodate different lengths of film. Novel means are also provided for releasab-ly mounting the frame in the apparatus.

Still other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the specification. The features of novelty which are believed to be characteristic of the invention are set forth herein and will best be understood, both as to their fundamental principles and as to their particular embodiments, by reference to the specification and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an external perspective view of the enclosed apparatus of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a somewhat enlarged, exploded view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1, the cover thereof being partly broken away to disclose the interior of the enclosure;

FIGURE 3 is a top View of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, a part of the apparatus being removed to show a portion of the drive mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary section view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a greatly enlarged view of one of the to prevent vibration during the rotation 3,376,655 Patented Apr. 9, 1968 2 embodiments of the present invention for holding X-ray films of single teeth;

FIGURE 6 is a side view in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a section view taken on line 7-7 of FIGURE 6 with parts broken away and in section;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary inverted plan view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is a greatly enlarged view of another form of film holder and dryer, partly broken intermediate its ends;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary side view of the film holder shown taken on line 1010 of FIGURE 9; and

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary view, partly in elevation, taken on line 1 1-11 of FIGURE 9.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, there is shown in FIGURES 1 through 4 a film dryer apparatus, generally designated 21, comprising an enclosure having a floor 22 made of sheet metal, upwardly extending integrally formed end walls 23 and 24, said end walls being secured fast to spaced-apart end plates 26 and 27, respectively, which form a stand for said apparatus. Mounted on the outer surface of plate 27 is a case 28 which forms an enclosure for drive motor 29 which is powered by a suitable source of electric current, not shown. Motor 29 is mounted on bracket 31 secured to plate 27 by means of space-d apart posts 32 and 33.

Motor drive shaft 34 extending through bracket 31 terminates in a double pulley 36, said pulley being connected by means of drive belts .37 and 38 with pulleys 3'9 and 41 mounted on drive shafts 42 and 43, respectively, which rotatably extend through plate 27 and wall 24, into the interior of the apparatus.

The top center portion of each wall 26 and 27 has a. downwardly extending recess 44' which removably accommodates the downwardly extending legs 46 at the respective ends of hinge pin 47. Mounted pivotally on hinge pin 47 by means of alternating integrally formed hinges 48 and 49 are two L-shaped cover elements 51 and 52, respectively, which extend in opposite directions over the top of plates 26 and 27, and which terminate in downwardly extending walls 53 and 54, respectively, to form an enclosure for the apparatus. Mounted fast on the center portion of walls 53 and 54 are knobs 56 and 57, respectively, for lifting either of the hinged cover plates 51 and 52, respectively, when access to either interior side of the apparatus is desired.

When necessary or desired, both cover elements 51 and 52 may be lifted off together as a unit from the apparatus with legs 46 emerging from recesses 44 to expose the whole interior space therein which constitutes the centrifuging chamber of the apparatus. Rotatable shaft 42 extends through the centrifuge chamber and is journaled in wall 23 and plate 26. Mounted on shaft 42 is one embodiment of a film holder, generally designated 61, as shown in FIGURES 5, 6, 7 and 8. Said film holder comprises a pair of elongated, spaced apart brackets 62 and 63, each of which are pivotally mounted in parallel array on shaft 42 by means of inwardly extending spaced apart journal hinges 64 and 65, respectively. .Each bracket 62 and 63 is somewhat bow-shaped and is enlarged at the center portion intermediate its ends to form a hand grip portion 66 and 67, respectively, along one side of shaft 42. Mounted between hand grip portions 66 and 67 along one side of shaft 42 is a spring element 68 which may be made of a block of resilient rubber, spongy plastic material, or the like. Spring element 68 may also comprise a suitable wire coil or spring blade element which normally urges grips 66 and 67 apart from each other. In one embodiment, as shown in FIGURE 7, spring element 68 in' its relaxed condition, permits brackets 62 and 63 norof the film holder shown mally to be aligned with their opposing surfaces in parallel array.

On the side of shaft 42 opposite to the location of Connected by means of screws 73 or the like to the:

outer ends of grip portions 66 and 67 are gripping plates 74 and 75, respectively, which provide a more advantageous, convenient and effective purchase between the fingers of the operator for urging brackets 62 and 63 pivotally towards each other against the action of spring element 68.

Brackets 62 and 63 are arranged releasably to retain on shaft 42 a conventional dental film holder, generally designated 78, which comprises an elongated, fiat stem 79 which is grasped between pairs of claws 71 and 72;

Claws 71 and 72 are initially retracted from each other by urging grip plates 74 and 75 together and pivotally moving brackets 62 and 63. After stem 79 is located between claws 71 and 72, grip plates 74 and 75 are released whereupon said claws move inwardly toward each other under the action of spring element 68 to secure said stem upon shaft 42. One end of stem 79 has a curved hook 81 which enables the film holder to be hung upon a suitable peg, rack, or the like, when not mounted on shaft 42.

Connected to film holder stem 79 are a number of spaced apart pairs of film-holding clamps 82 arrayed on opposite sides of said stem, as shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 8.

Clamps 82 have spring elements 83 for releasably securing respective photographic X-ray films 84. After films 84 have been exposed in the X-ray apparatus, they are mounted on clamps 82, and stem 79 of film holder 78 is immersed in one or more film developing and washing solutions. Previously, film holder 78 was hung by its hook 81 upon a rack in order to dry the films by evaporation, a process which not only consumed a long time but often resulted in water and other residue spots.

With the apparatus of the present invention, film holder 78 is now applied to shaft 42 in the manner described hereinbefore, motor 29 is started to cause a rotation of said shaft whereby film holder 79 and films 84 are to- This embodiment is intended for drying sheet photo- 7 graphic film 92 as utilized for panoramic full mouth extated to cause the moisture from said films to be centrifugally removed therefrom in a comparatively short time. By this means the drying of the films is reduced from a matter of hoursto a matter of minutes.

It will be noted that the film holder 78 with its stem 79, film clamps 82. and films 84 are arrayed generally on one side of shaft 42. If there were no counterbalancing forces on said shaft while the film holder is being centrifuged, the apparatus would be subjected to excessive vibration that would ultimately damage the apparatus. Accordingly, the bowed portions of brackets 62 and 63 which extend outwardly from shaft 42 and have sufiicient weight to provide a counterbalancing weight for film holder 78 whereby the weight is substantially equalized on both sides of shaft 42 so that the latter may rotate without vibration. Alternatively, by providing for replaceable grip plates 74 and 75, sets of said plates of different weights may be available for substitution upon grip portions 66 and 67, respectively, in order to counterbalance substantially the weight of film holder 78 and films 84. Instead of screws'73, other suitable means may be substituted for l replaceably mounting grip plates 74 and upon brackets 62 and 63, respectively.

- Another embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG- URES 9, 10 and 11, wherein drive shaft 43 extends a short distance from wall 24 into the interior of the centrifuge chamber. A short distance from its end, shaft 43 is provided with a rearwardly slanting curved slot 91.

posures, for example.

The film 92 is suspended within a substantially rectangular frame holder, generally designated 93, having spaced apart end rods 94 and 95 and spaced apart side rods 96 and 97, all of said rods being integrally joined at four corners. Intermediate its ends, rod 95 is removably inserted into slot 91 where it is secured for rotation with shaft 43.

Rod 95 has a pair of bosses 98 spaced apart a slight distance greater than the diameter of shaft 43 for preventing vibration of frame 93 when being rotated by shaft 43.

Rod 94 of frame 93 has intermediate its ends an outwardly extending pin 99 which rotatably extends through an aperture 101 within bracket 102 secured to the interior of wall 23. Mounted in wall 23 and plate 26 is a journal 103 having a central shouldered aperture 104 in which is positioned a captive spring 105 against which the outer end of pivot pinv 99 be'ars. Spring 105 normally urges frame 93 in a direction to cause rod 95 to be urged securely into slot 91 in shaft 43.

Film 92 is supported within frame 93 by means of f spaced apart clamps 106, 107 mounted on rod-95 and spaced apart clamps 108, 109 mounted on a transverse rod 111, the latter being movably mounted on side rods 96 and 97. Rod 111 is normally urged yieldably toward rod 94 by means of spaced apart springs 112 connected between these two elements. After film 92 is releasably attached to clamps 106, 107, 108 and 109, springs 1 12 urging rod 1l11 toward rod 94 causes film 92 to be maintained in a taut condition within frame 93. Since rod 111 is yieldably mounted on frame 93, sheet film 92 of different lengths may be accommodated in the apparatus. 7

After film. 92 has been exposed and processed in photographic developing and washing baths, it is mounted while still wet on frame 93 in the manner described hereim before, after which motor 29 is energimd to cause the rotation of shaft 43 which, in turn, rotates frame 93 at centrifugal speeds to cause the removal of moisture from film 92.

While it is possible to mount film 92 within. frame 93 and to remove it therefrom while said frame is located within the centrifuge chamber of the apparatus, it is more convenient to remove frame 93 from the apparatus by manually moving the frame toward wall 23 against the action of spring 105 a sufficient distance for rod 95 to be released from slot 91 of shaft 43-. Film 92 may be mounted on clamps 106, 107, 108 and 109 after exposure, if desired, and the assembly can then be dipped into developing and washing solutions. The assembly of film 92 on frame 93 can then be mounted in the apparatus by first inserting pin 99 into apertures 101 and 104, and depressing spring 105 therewith until rod 95 is capable of entering slot 91 of shaft 43. Thereafter, frame 93 is released whereby spring 105 urges said frame in a direction whereby rod 95, under suitable guidance, moves into the inner end of slot 91 where it is held captive. Thereafter, the assembly of film 92 and frame 93 is rotated at .a suitable speed for removing moisture from said film by centrifugal action, said frame rotating on an axis established by shaft ments, it is understood that frame 93 may be made in other suitable shapes and transverse rod 111 may be movably mounted alternatively on end rods 94 and 95 with springs 112 urging said transverse rod towards one of the side rods. In such a modification, it will be understood that suitable counterbalancing means would be utilized to centrifuigally balance said frame while it is. being rotated. It is also to be understood that instead of having pairs of clamps 106, 107 and 108, 109 it may be possible to provide unitary clamps at each end of frame 93 for stretching film 92 therebetween. Also, the two springs 112 may be replaced by a single spring located in a suitable position for urging rod 111 toward rod 94.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding onlyand no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom. The invention is not limited to the exact details shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. Film drying apparatus comprising a power source, a shaft rotatable by said power source, a film holder, a clamp for releasably securing said holder on said shaft, a portion of said clamp extending along one side of said shaft opposite to that upon which said holder is secured, said portion being of a weight to substantially counterbalance the weight of said film holder when said holder and clamp rotate with said shaft.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, and further comprising at least one removable weight mounted on said clamp for adjusting the counterbalancing weight thereof in relation to said film holder.

3. Film drying apparatus comprising a rotatable shaft, a film holder, a clamp for releasably securing said holder on said shaft, said clamp consisting of a pair of spaced apart elongated elements each pivotally mounted on said shaft, a portion of each of said elements extending in the same direction to one side of said shaft, a resilient element positioned between said two portions normally urging said portions apart, said portions being movable toward each other against the action of said spring element, and a plurality of claw elements for releasably securing said film holder along said shaft on. the side opposite to that from which said portions extend.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said resilient element comprises a block of rubber.

5. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said resilient element comprises a block of porous, plastic material.

6. Apparatus according to claim 3 and further comprising at least one removable weight connected to at least one of said portions of said clamps for adjusting the weight of said clamp substantially to counterbalance the weight of said film holder.

7. Film drying apparatus comprising a rotatable shaft, a film holder, means for releasably securing said holder on said shaft, said means comprising a pair of spaced apart elongated elements each pivotally mounted on o posite sides of said shaft, a portion of each of said elements extending in a first direction relative to said shaft, a plurality of spaced apart, integrally formed claws on each of said elements extending in a direction opposite to said first direction on the other side of said shaft, a resilient element positioned between said two portions normally urging said portions apart while simultaneously urging the respective claws on said elements towards each other, said portions being movable towards each other against the action of said spring element while said respective claws are moved apart from each other, said claws, when moved toward each other under the action of said spring element engaging said film holder and releasab'ly securing the latter against said shaft.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said clamp portions are weighted to an extent sufiicient substantially to counterbalance the weight of said film holder as said shaft rotates.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 and further comprising a weight removably connected to each of said clamp portions, the mass of said weights being selected substantially to equalize the weight of said clamp relative to said film holder as they both rotate around said shaft.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,439,378 12/1922 Preston. 1,489,601 4/1924 Klaus -93 1,558,389 10/1925 Mueller 34-58 XR 1,747,930 2/1930 Cook 9593 2,994,965 8/1961 Tu'hy 34-58 FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Primary Examiner. JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Examiner. 

